Out of the Wood
by Celtic Silver
Summary: Many times, you can never know what's coming. This is one of those times. This time is no different. Woodland elves Maeralyn and Audrin, healer and princess, were simply out in the forest hunting when Gandalf appeared out of the wood, they were suddenly thrown into a quest with thirteen dwarves, a hobbit and a wizard. Soon, it is they that are out of the woods...Please R&R!
1. Legolas' Troll Hair

**(A.N: So, I bet anybody reading this who likes Warriors-Hint, hint-anyway, I bet you****think I'm slacking off…yeah, maybe I have commitment issues…oh well…anyway, as well as being a Warriors fan, I also absolutely ****_love _****LotR/Hobbit. So, normally, I'm a ****_HUGE _****Legolas and Tauriel fan-look, you Killiel fans don't judge me, I don't judge you, deal?-anyway, this is abnormal for me, but I'm doing it as a friendship fic…for now…anyway, it's written with an OC who belongs to my new friend EradrinSkyleaf-she's awesome, check her out!-also, it's written with an OC of mine, who here acts as Legolas's sister…look at the basic descriptions:**

**Legolas~ Do I seriously need to do this? Tall, good-looking, elf, blond-hair, blue eyes, archer, fights with long knives, Prince of MIrkwood, etc., etc., etc….why tell you stuff you already know? Commands group of archers of the army, likes Tauriel...maybe not permanently…XD, in this, you see him as he is to other elves, mischievous and friendly. Don't worry, you will see the other side of his personality at some point**

**King Thranduil~ Again, Is this seriously necessary? Moving on!**

**Tauriel~ Captain of the guard, Silvan elf, yada, yada, yada…thoughts on Legolas: Haven't decided yet…**

**Audrin~ Legolas's sister, daughter of Thranduil, takes after her mother, Queen Nefarri-yeah, this is my OC for the queen, moving on-tall, 242 years younger than her ****_dear _****brother, dark-brown, almost black hair, keen, silver-green eyes, archer, swordfighter, commander of elite soldiers from the army. Very close to animals, especially wolves-yeah, you'll see why…maybe, down below-loves nature, very adventurous, archer enjoys long knives. Lives in pure fear of the MIrkwood spiders.**

**Maeralyn~ Audrin's best friend, OC of EradianSkyleaf, black hair, blue eyes, very shy, healer in training, prefers daggers. Likes Legolas and is in denial, loves all living creatures except orcs or spiders. You'll learn more later…maybe….**

"Legolas!" Audrin's voice rang loud and clear through the archery grounds. Maeralyn looked up from her bow, eying the arrow stuck in the third ring from the center of her circular target. While she would have loved to say her bad shot had been because the princess had distracted her, but she knew very well that it was simply because she lacked talent for that particular weapon. Instead, she reached down and picked up a small dagger. She considered it for a few seconds, deemed it worthy, and threw it directly into the center of the target. "Hey, Maeralyn, have you seen my oh-so dear brother anywhere?"

"No, why?" Before this point, Maeralyn had not yet turned to her friend, and when she did now, she gaped. Her friend's hair was generally brown, a shade so dark it was almost black. Now however, it was about the same shade as her brother's; a pale silver blond color. "What did he do?"

"What do you think he did?" yelled the princess, holding up several locks of long blond hair for emphasis. While Maeralyn loved her friend dearly, she did have to admit she had _just _a _slight _temper. _But hey, argued_ the voice in her head,_there is no such thing as a perfect princess. _She did have to admit though, her friend came pretty close…her brother was pretty near perfect too…_Wait, what! _Her subconscious was back, and was once again getting on her nerves. How was it her subconcious's business what she thought of the prince? _Oh wait…"_Oh, don't worry, I'm not going to kill him," said Audrin noticing the look of horror on her friend's face. "Ya know, _yet._" She turned on her heel and kept walking, while Maeralyn turned back to her target. However, before she could pick up either bow or dagger again, two perfect silver arrows shot toward the target, and somehow they both managed to hit the exact center.

Maeralyn turned back towards where her friend had walked off and watched as she slung an ebony bow over her shoulder, even as her sharp blue eyes observed that two of the arrows from her perfect set of twenty-four were missing, for they were, indeed, now embedded in her target. Just as the unnaturally blond head turned the corner, a very similar head rounded into the clearing, that was, of course, the head of Legolas himself. He ran across the clearing and scurried up the huge oak almost directly behind her.

"What are you doing?" She asked, all too happy to drop the bow she had just picked up and race to the base of the huge oak. The elf prince hung from a tree branch like a possum starring down at her.

"Maeralyn," He called, "If you want your realm to have a future king, then you will _not _give me away!"

"You look like a troll with your hair like that." She told him, studying how his hair hung far past his ears. Then she did the one thing he did not want her to do. "Your highness," she called, "Audrin!"

"No, No, NO!" Yelled Legolas, but it was too late.

Audrin dropped from a higher tree branch in the same oak tree Legolas had taken refuge in, tackling her brother and sending them both splashing into the pond beneath the tree's spreading branches. "For the last time," spluttered Audrin, surfacing and coughing up water, "Maeralyn, I thought you would know by now that I prefer to be called _The Empress of the Eastern Forest Animals." _

"Yeah," Legolas spluttered, spitting out a mouthful of pond water. "You can be an empress when I become king."

"You do realize you're the heir to the throne of Mirkwood, right? Now that I've got my future settled, what do you want to do under Legolas' tyranny Maer?"

"Aren't you always telling me not to ask questions that I already know the answers to?"

"Fair point. Since you love all Woodland creatures, nope, sorry, _nearly _all woodland creatures, I can always count on you to take care of all my fair subjects, right? Don't worry, I would never expect you to doctor any spiders, I promise."

"What is going on here?" The authoritative question was from Tauriel, the captain of the guard. As she appeared, striding confidently across the training ground towards the trio. "Audrin, where are you off to after this?" Maeralyn could tell that, while Audrin was the princess, she didn't seem to mind being given orders, especially since Tauriel _was _the captain of the guard. What really caught the she-elf's attention though was the way Legolas seemed to watch the red-haired she-elf.

"I've got a hunting trip on the river shore with most of the wolf hounds. Got anyone you want occupied?" Maeralyn snapped back to attention at her friend's reply, then even further at Tauriel's reply.

"Well, would you mind talking Talin and Strial?" asked Tauriel, referring to the youngest, most reckless of her charges.

"Alright," Said Audrin, striding towards the stables to retrieve her black stallion, Lith, "My fault for opening my big mouth. "Maer, Legolas, are you coming?"

"Yes!" Legolas ran after, happy to be forgiven.

"Ya know, you do have to tell me how to get this stupid dye out of my hair, or I'll shoot you."

"You wouldn't do that."

"How do you know?"

"I've known you for your entire life."

"Just tell me!"

"Fine, you need to rub it with dock leaves."

"Of course I do, naturally."

"Ok, I'm coming too, if only to make sure both our crown prince and princess survive." Maeralyn retrieved her bow and daggers and raced after her friends.

End of Chapter One

**(A.N: Ok, so please tell me what ya think, love it, hate it? For now, this is just a friendship fic…for now…also, for anyone who is wondering, I made Legolas a kind of goof in this because I wanted to show how light-spirited he could be among other elves, though the arrogance thing many people seem to love may be showing itself at some point in the near future.**

**Question for Ya: Favorite character so far? Why?**

**See ya next chapter, and Happy Holidays,-**

**~Celtic Silver)**


	2. Audrin's Wolf Hunt

**(A,N: Ok, so here's the second chapter of _Fire of the Forest, Written by: ME!_ Yeah, here's your second chapter, happy reading!**

The deer bent, bringing up a mouthful of grass and flowers. Three pairs of keen elf eyes, two blue, and one silver-green caught the glints of the eyes of Audrin's wolf hounds in the underbrush bordering the small clearing. The two elves Tauriel had stuck them with, Talin and Strial, had stayed back to watch the horses, specifically under orders from Audrin-who, by the way, had found enough dock leaves to get her hair mostly back to it's shade of dark brown-not to follow unless they heard three barks and a howl from one of the hounds. Maeralyn's eyes also caught the glint of a silver arrowhead, as well as Audrin's lips muttering a quick apology to the deer then releasing. Sharp elven ears caught the twang of the bowstring, but the arrow never hit. Just as the princess released her arrow, a huge orc smashed into her, sending the arrow spinning badly off course, towards Maeralyn. "Duck!" yelled Legolas. Maeralyn lay flat just as the arrow whistled about a foot over her head and embeded itself in a tree.

For a moment, Maeralyn froze, then she recovered her senses enough to climb up the same tree Audrin's arrow had sunk into-actually, she used the arrow for leverage-and tried to help her friends, but too late, she yelled, and one of the hounds gave the signal for Talin and Strial to follow. The deer had long vanished, which Maer herself would have loved to do herself. Audrin found a second between two orcs and threw her satchel across the small clearing where it hung from a branch about two feet above Maeralyn's head. She winked one silver-green eye then ducked back into the battle. Across the clearing, Legolas whirled with two long knives, killing every orc that go within five feet of him. Maeralyn jumped up, grabbing farther back on the branch-so as not to shake Audrin's satchel more than necessary-and crept slowly along the branch until she could reach the leather satchel, then dropped back onto her branch. Inside she found a half dozen hunting knives, beautifully sharpened and cleaned so they shone silver in the dappled sunlight-what was it with Audrin and silver anyway-as well as a large assortment of arrows in various stages of assembly.

"Audrin, where are Talin and Strial?" She called, hurling the first of the daggers into the skull of one of the orcs attacking Audrin.

"You know, I have absolutely no clue."

"That's bad, right?" Maeralyn sent the second dagger into the back of one of the orcs Legolas was fighting just as the two younger elves finally emerged. Both had light brown hair, and like Legolas and Audrin, they were a brother and sister pair. However, quite unlike either Legolas or Audrin, neither were well trained with weapons, nor could they focus when they had to. After all, while the royal siblings were kind of goofy, they were both more than capable of doing something useful when it actually mattered. Talin and Strial however were considerably less useful, goofing off during training and patrols. Even now, as they rushed to help them, Strial had a half-finished braid-which actually wasn't goofing off by itself, but _was _goofing off because that was actually something you were supposed to do before reporting for duty-and Talin was holding a carved statue of a spider.

"Talin, Strial, please focus!" Legolas yelled, disposing of two orcs at once, "Why carve a spider, if you have to slack off, you could at least have carved something that is not an enemy of your realm, Talin!"

"I was bored!"

"Then perhaps you and your sister should sharpen your weapon and discuss fighting tactics!" Audrin scurried up a tree to escape the orcs for a few moments then leapt back down, landing directly on top of one of them. "I talk to Tauriel, and she is not pleased with either of you. It would serve you well to remember that your only chance of moving up in rank-which, mind you I have heard both of you talking about how you intend to lord over all of us one day-is to behave properly and do your duties as soldiers of the Woodland Realm. Now do something useful!" Audrin's mini-rant was accompanied with a sharp, piercing glare. While Audrin hadn't inherited much from her father, one of the things she had inherited was his piercing glare. Needless to say, both younger elves got to work.

Despite not being worth much, the younger elves weren't _completely _useless at their weapons of choice-a sword for Strial and two daggers, which were probably what he used to carve his spider, for Talin. Both also used the bow, but neither were a match for Legolas and Audrin, who were actually good with their weapons of choice. While they fought on the ground, Legolas and Audrin covered them with their bows from the trees. Maeralyn had half a mind to join them, but knowing her skills and her luck, it was far more likely she would hit one of her allies.

Suddenly, more howls pierced the sounds of battle, and then all twelve of Audrin's wolf-hounds came in a wave from the underbrush, followed by a wave of…wolves. Maeralyn had never seen wolves quite like this-huge, sleek, and silver, with dark, intelligent eyes that actually seemed disciplined, not just the ordinary, vicious wolves that you could normally see around here-but Audrin seemed to know each and every one of them, leaping out of her tree and drawing a pair of long silver knives to fight alongside them.

Apparently even Legolas didn't know the wolves, since he called, "Audrin, what are you doing, do you want to be killed?"

"I'm not going to be killed brother dear, they aren't wargs, just wolves-my hounds are descended from them, there is a reason they're called _Wolf _Hounds." She flashed her knives left and right, the wolves and hounds filling the gaps of her defense. Those wolves were good fighters; as far as Maer could tell, not even one had fallen, though several had minor injuries.

Maeralyn yelped as an ugly black arrow came from the bow of an orc, who appeared to be acting as the captain of this raid. She responded quickly, throwing her second to last dagger, which the orc just barely managed to deflect of the edge of its sword. "Got any more daggers Audrin?" She called, desperately glancing toward her friend, noticing she was almost directly beneath her perch in the tree.

"Nope sorry, just got these!" With that, she threw her long knives up-they embedded themselves about an inch deep into the tree bark-and scrambled up the tree, pulling her bow from her back and losing an arrow at one of the orcs at the base of Legolas's tree. "Two chances left." She pulled three arrows-leaving her quiver with two left-and shot all three at once at the orc, who deflected all three, splintering them. "Aww, come on!" complained Audrin, "These are some of my best arrows! Now," she added, her voice softening to a whisper that Maeralyn had to strain her elf ears to hear, "Go around to the other side, to his back. When I shoot these last arrows at him, you throw those at his back. Do you understand?"

Maeralyn dipped her head, knowing now was not the time to argue with her friend, she had bigger problems right now than being told to kill an enemy by her best friend. She crept slowly, leaping branch to branch, always keeping her eyes trained on Audrin, waiting for the signal. As she moved into position, Audrin drew back the bowstring, letting both arrows fly towards the orc captain…

End of Chapter two

**(A.N: Ok, kind of a cliffie XD. So, tell me what you think, your most favorite character, your least favorite character, your thoughts on my writing, _constructive _criticism, whatever you want. Also, I may have said this in the first chapter yesterday-and it was disproven by this very update-but this will be the last update until at least December 31st, though I may not actually get one up until the 1st or 2nd. Either way, Happy Holidays and Happy New Year, and safe travels-**

**~Celtic Silver**

**P.S: Make sure to eat cookies, open presents, and enjoy your familes. Bye!)**


	3. Maeralyn's Red Haze

**(A.N: Ok, so here's your next chapter, a new one will probably be up tomorrow. Hope you like it, here it is: Chapter three)**

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><p>Maeralyn watched, frozen momentarily as both of Audrin's arrows whistled through the battle, somehow managing not to hit anything, from the orcs to the wolves, to Talin and Strial-who seemed to finally be focusing. She recovered as the arrows streaked to within several feet of the orc, hurtling and plunging both Audrin's knives into the orc chief's back with as much force as she could muster on the spur of the moment.<p>

Unfortunately, she had forgotten one rather important detail. According to the plan Audrin had explained to her, she was supposed to wait until the orc was completely distracted by the two arrows. The problem was, she had thrown her knives to early. The lower arrow still caught its mark as the orc fell, sticking out of its neck. The upper one however, flashed just under an inch over the orc's head, heading directly for Maeralyn. It hit, and Maeralyn suddenly lost all sense of the battle that still raged before her despite the death of the orc captain, the entirety of her attention focused on the arrow sunk to the sleek silver feathers into her lower abdomen.

It was amazing what details you could perceive about the weapons that might cause your death. She had never before noticed how perfect the fletching was, or the way her friend had carved a single maple leaf near the base of the feathers; her friend clearly took great pride in how perfectly crafted her weapons were.

Speaking of Audrin, while Maeralyn couldn't hear a thing through her shock, she could read her friend's lips well enough to be able to tell she was screaming, her sharp silver-green eyes wide with horror. One other pair of eyes caught her eyes, though this pair was blue like her own. Across the battlefield, Legolas had frozen, his bowstring still pulled back and loaded with an arrow of his own. She grinned weakly, falling to her knees, losing sight of either or both of her friends in the blur caused by the pain. It was only her keen elf eyes that caught the flashes of brown and gold that told her the siblings were hurrying to her side. The last thing she saw as she dropped into unconsciousness was a horrified face looking over her, as hands gently lowered her to the ground, though whose hands she couldn't tell...

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><p>PoV Switch<p>

Audrin stared, unmoving as her last arrows flew through the battle,-one very nearly missing Strial-directly towards the orc captain. Suddenly, he crumpled so that Audrin could see her twin knives in its back. She watched, fixated, as the lower flew into the orc's neck, killing it if it somehow wasn't dead, and the other arrow skimmed just barely over the its head-and cutting of a few scraggly hairs-and struck Maer. She screamed, the noise sounding as inconceivable as the falling of leaves in the Autumn. Numbly, she raced through the middle of the roaring battle, towards her friend. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Legolas moving towards Maer as well-having hastily shot the arrow he had notched barely a heartbeat before.

Both siblings got there at the exact same time, Audrin watching petrified as her brother caught the crumpling elleth in both arms.

Her normally keen eye sight was blurry, with tears and a bit of red haze. Wordlessly, she turned away from both brother and friend, her eyesight clearing with her determination. While she knew the injury was her fault, and she admitted it, she also knew it was the fault of the orcs for attacking a simple hunting patrol-she had never been the kind of person to completely blame herself for accidents involving her friends, quite unlike Legolas-while she knew this, she still felt guilt-she had after all been the one to shoot the arrow-and knew the best way to assuage it would be to defeat the enemies whose attack had lead to this. Therefore, as to her last thought, she charged.

Now, Audrin had never been your general impression of any princess-least of all an elven one. She always found ways to balance archery and sword fighting between the etiquette lessons, diplomacy lessons-which she already naturally excelled at anyway-and all the various balls, banquets, festivals, feasts, and the like that her father seemed to have made a hobby of forcing both her and Legolas to attend. She had a deep love of animals, which she happily exercised by being the head of training the horses, in charge of everything from breaking to rehabilitation. True to form, her horse, Lith-Ash in the common tongue-was the perfect example of an elvish horse-small, fast, strong and loyal, as well as being disciplined and dedicated. Really, he was the perfect match for his mistress.

Despite her generally calm, collected, and firm demeanor towards most other elves, as well as to most of the free creatures of Arda, she could be quite lighthearted to others, very certain, special others. This group currently included her father, King Thranduil, Legolas, Tauriel, and, of course, Maeralyn. However, none of this gentle kindness was visible to any living or dead orc or spider, which she attacked with a powerful, terrifying ferocity, which struck fear into the hearts of her enemies. Naturally, she had been a very popular choice in any team games as an elfling. Unlike most of her kin-blood related or otherwise-she did not have an extreme dislike-or in some cases hatred-of dwarves-that is to say she would never prefer a dwarf over any elf-which often caused extreme feuds between her and her kinsman.

Needless to say, the orcs stood no chance. Within what seemed like heart beats after she charged, no orcs remained on their feet, though, as was the way of the wood elves she had kept one alive for interrogation, pinned against a tree, with one knife at its heart and another at its neck. Finally, the red haze that clouded her sight faded and her silver-green eyes lost the terrifying, predatory gleam.

She turned back-still carefully keeping both her knives in place mind-and regarded the now empty battlefield with a relaxed countenance. That is, until she spotted Legolas and Maeralyn again and pain washed over her again.

Suddenly, a rustling to the east caught her full attention, even turning her away from her fallen friend. "Who is there, show yourself!" She demanded, in no mood for fun and jokes.

"Well, how is it that the same young princess I helped heal so long ago can now be threatening me when I come to aid?" a familiar voice reprimanded, as sharp elf eyes caught a flash of gray, and finally, the owner of the voice stepped forward. Mithrandir-commonly known as Gandalf the Gray, one of the Istari-appeared from behind a young ash. His eyes widened at the sight of Maeralyn, and he added, "I see now that my reason for being here may not be the most pressing affair at the moment." With that, he crouched, scooped up the wounded elleth, and walked slowly back the way he had come-where Audrin could tell he had hidden a horse. "I will give you my proposition when we have gotten young Miss Maeralyn here on the way to rest and recovery Audrin. Help me situate her would you Talin?"

Audrin and Legolas exchanged surprised glances as Gandalf led the horse that carried Maer slowly towards the halls of their father...

End of Chapter Three

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><p><strong>(A.N: Ok, so what did you guys think of chapter three? Oh, and before any of you murder me, just wait for the chapter I'm going to post tomorrow, would ya? I kind of need to survive the night to post again…also to EradrinSkyleaf-who, mind you, is the only person to have reviewed either, well, actually both-thank you for reviewing, following, and faving…YOU ROCK! Also, PLEASE do NOT kill me because of what I did to Maer…don't worry, chapter should be up soon, she'll survive…probably…also, you guys-maybe-guessed it; Gandalf is her to ask a…certain question about a…certain quest…yeah, no spoilers there at all…anyway, thanks for reading, please R&amp;R!<strong>

**_Next Chapter:_**

**_~Gandalf asks the common question~_**

**_~We see if Maeralyn survives~_**

**_~We (maybe) get a different Point of View~_**

**_~Our dear royal siblings make some tough choices~_**

**_~King Thranduil throws a fit~_**

**Sound fun? See ya next chapter-**

**~Celtic Silver)**


	4. Thranduil's Dorwinion Toss

**(A.N: Ok, so here's your next chapter, on the first of the year as promised. Also, could somebody-besides EradrinSkyleaf, thank you for reviewing-****_please _****review, or PM, or something? Seems like EradrinSkyleaf and mjg43-thank you for following, you rock too-are the only ones reading, though, according to the chart, this has almost two hundred reviews, and I have three reviews from the same person, one favorite, and two follows…so, if anybody is actually reading this, could you please review, or PM, or something? If you want, you could even send a flame…yeah, I don't beg often, I don't like domination. But here you are, the oh-so great (not) Celtic Silver is begging for some feedback, something…so, here you go chapter four of ****_Fire of the Forest…)_**

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><p>Maeralyn groaned. She blinked open her eyes, but all she could see was a blur. Finally, her gaze cleared, and she could see she was back in the infirmary in the woodland palace. No matter what the dwarves seemed to think, the elves were actually very neat and organized, especially when it came to treatment for their wounded kin. Maer, of course, knew well, as the healer's apprentice, as even now she was able to tell that she was in cot 3-4, which she judged from the angle of the sunlight coming through the eastern window. She judged time it was just after dawn, meaning she had been out for about three-quarters of a day. <em>The arrow…<em> Maeralyn glanced toward her side, and noticed Audrin's silver arrow was gone…actually, it was sitting in a glass arrow case like the ones Audrin always kept arrows again.

"Maeralyn! What are you doing sitting up?" It was Talris, the head healer. Since she had lost her parents, Talris had basically become like her mother, though Talris was like that to most everyone, a good quality for a healer…

_Flashback one-hundred years ago_

_ "__Maeralyn! Talris strode quickly and purposefully through the impeccably clean halls. She was tall, with long blond hair and bright blue green eyes. She was very strict, but Maer loved her as her own mother. "Is cot 2-9 outfitted with fresh sheets?"_

_ "__Of course," Maeralyn muttered, trying to hide her worry. Everyone who worked in the infirmary knew full well that cot 2-9 was always reserved for either Legolas or Audrin, who had loved that bunk as children, always sitting close to their mother. Maer smiled sadly, she missed the queen very much; even when she had been ill close to the end she had always been kind and compassionate to all the healers. The queen's smile had always been the thing all the overworked healing apprentices had looked forward to most. _

_ "__Talris, where are you?" It was Audrin's voice, meaning it was Legolas who was injured. A moment later, the woodland princess's head appeared in a gap through the infirmary's double doors. After a quick search of the perimeter, the rest of her body appearedy, wearing a green dress and a dark leather jerkin __**(A.N: Just think what Tauriel wears in the Hobbit) **__which was her outfit whenever she went out on patrols or went hunting. Behind her came one of her huge silver wolves-where did those things come from anyway-and slung over its back was…Legolas. "Do you have 2-9 ready?"_

_ "__Yes princess, as always." Talris was-per usual-the absolute picture of calm in the face of a bad situation. "Just lay the prince here and we'll fix him right up. Maer almost fainted; Legolas was so pale that he actually melted into the sheet, and all that showed up was his silver-blond hair and his 'patrol outfit' as Audrin called it. His shoulder was at least dislocated, maybe broken, and blood leaked from several bloody scratches down his left side, and, unless Maer's eyes deceived her, he had several broken fingers. "How did this happen?"_

_ "__Legolas was on patrol today on the river, you know? Well, I took a hunting party down river a few days ago, and we were just returning when we heard the screams. We rode as fast as we could and when we got there, they were surrounded by orcs. We tried to help, but we only had bows and hunting knives, and all the others on the patrol are swordfighters. By the time we killed them all, it was…too late…" The she-elf fell back onto cot 2-8 as she finished her story, with her long hair spraying everywhere as she stayed back to let Talris do her job._

_ "__How are you not throwing a fit or burning the corpse of every orc from here to the lonely mountain or something?" Asked Maeralyn, sitting on the cot beside her friend, laying a hand on her shoulder, "Legolas will be fine, Talris knows what she's doing, I promise."_

_ "__I hope you're right," sighed the princess, "maybe we don't always get along, but I worry, you know? No matter what, I do still love my brother."_

_ "__Aww, it's alright your majesty, your brother will be alright, I promise." I was Talris, who had come up behind the pair from the herb cabinet. "I've dealt with both of you before; you've both been in considerably worse situations."_

_ "__Oh, so motherly," muttered the princess in Maer's ear, "Doesn't she know I prefer being referred to as the Empress?"_

_ "__Your mother teased you all the time."_

_ "__Fair point."_

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><p>Back to the present<p>

PoV switch

Audrin glanced across the ballroom to Legolas, who was occupied talking to five or six admiring _elleths. _Unlike most of her father's extravagant celebrations, this was one of the ones she could have enjoyed…except that she couldn't forget what had happened to Maeralyn. _I can't believe I did that! _Audrin shook her head and turned her attention back to avoiding Talin, who had been trying to get her to dance with him for the past half hour.

_Help me! _Both royal siblings mouthed together. Both turned desperate glances to their father, who was just finishing up another bottle of Dorwinion. The woodland king considered both his children for a few seconds, then rolled his icy blue eyes and raised his voice over the commotion of the crowd. "Now, as the month's festival comes to an end, I would like to suggest one final dance to commemorate the loyalty between siblings. If you have siblings here at this party, I invite you to dance the Fox's Waltz. Legolas, Audrin, come here!"

"Thank Valar!" muttered Legolas, as they passed two of his admiring crowd dancing with their brothers and fixing Audrin with a glare, "I don't think I could have held them off much longer. I was about to try to fight them off with the cheese knife."

"Seriously," Asked Audrin, stamping jokingly on her brother's foot, "you know how Talin and Strial were slacking off so much on patrol?"

"Ok, first, yes, of course I remember, it was six hours ago, and second, ow, you're wearing heels; don't stamp on my foot when you're wearing heels!"

"Sorry, sorry! Anyway, Talin has been chasing around me to dance since I got here! You know how bad of an idea it is to wear a super expensive dress to a dance when you're being attacked by an _ellon _every two minutes?"

"How did you manage to keep your dress and hair so neat?"

"A perfect perfection percentile, as well as amazing abilities in alliteration," she smirked at her brother. Indeed, her silver, single-strapped shining silver dress, with its golden vine trimming at the waist, as well as a viney golden headdress braided into her dark brown hair, golden high-heeled shoes, and silver and gold bracelets-she had always been one for a pristine, perfect appearance-were all in perfect condition, the same way they had been fresh from the silk tailors and the silver smiths, which they had been that very morning, "your thoughts?"

"Very shiny and sharp-heeled," Legolas grinned back at his sister cheekily, "and very expensive."

"Well at least I-"Audrin began, but was cut off by a loud crash. Both royal siblings turned their heads and saw their Father standing before Mithrandir, with the remains of a shattered Dorwinion bottle staining the wall behind the latter's back.

"You will not take my children away, especially not to travel with dwarves!" roared King Thranduil, picking up the thing closest within his grasp; a steak knife. "I will not risk the lives of my children helping those fools reclaim their homeland! They are all I have left of my queen and I will not lose them!"

"Whoa, father, wait!" yelled Legolas, jumping in before his father could attack the Istari. "Now what is this about father? What is it about dwarves?"

"And why," added Audrin, going to stand beside her brother, "is it that we cannot hear what plans Mithrandir has and agree or deny personally, instead of turning a blind eye and doing a waltz?" She turned back to the crowd of silent elves and added more gently, "We will be leaving for a few short moments, so would you please enjoy a few extra dances as well as our freshly re-stocked buffet table?" Surprisingly, despite the uproar, nearly all the guests turned their attention to either the dance or the buffet. "Just goes to show you, even elves are greedy when it comes to food." Legolas laughed, and Mithrandir and King Thranduil managed faint smiles. "Now, what is this about?" The princess asked, leading the entire group towards the oak doors of the infirmary, which gave none of them any choice but to follow.

"Daughter," asked the king, clearly trying to regain control of the situation, "why are we going to the infirmary?"

"Two reasons, one, because I want Talris's input and I'm pretty sure you do as well, and two, I absolutely want to hear what Maeralyn thinks. Now again, what is this about, and why are you here Mithrandir?" The woodland princess turned and fixed both king and wizard with the fierce glare she was known for, daring them not to answer, while her brother glanced uncomfortably in-between.

The king broke first, "Mithrandir has come to ask you to share in an adventure…

End of Chapter Four

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><p><strong>(A.N: Ok, so there's chapter four...if anyone besides EradrinSkyleaf-the only person who has reviewed-could please review, it would seriously make my day...<strong>

**Next Chapter**

**~We see what King Thranduil does to Gandalf~**

**~The two royal siblings actually make that decision~**

**~We check in on Maer again~**

**~We (maybe, though probably not) get to visit a certain hobbit whose initials are B.B~**

**~We maybe see Legolas's point of view~**

**Sounds fun? Well, it should be up tomorrow...please review?!**


	5. The Royal Sibling's Sanctuary

**(A.N: Here ya go, chapter five of Fire of the Forest…I actually started writing this last night, after I finished chapter four, but I finished it…without any further ado…I present…the chapter I haven't actually named yet…hehehe, oops…)**

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><p>Maeralyn glanced up as a quartet suddenly filed into the infirmary. Across the room where she was organizing the herb cabinet, Talris looked up as well, alerted that they had company by the swing of the heavy oak double doors swinging open and colliding roughly with the walls on either side.<p>

"Oh, what is it now?" The she-elf griped, "It's really-your majesties!" she broke off as Audrin, Legolas, King Thranduil, and Mithrandir-wait, Mithrandir was here?- filed in, Audrin and Legolas going to either side and shutting both doors when they were all inside.

"My apologies Talris, but may I ask you to go chaperone...I believe some of our younger elves may indulge in my Dorwinion during my absense." Thranduil ordered, stepping farther into the room and sitting on cot 3-5, right next to Maeralyn's 3-4. On 3-3, Audrin and Legolas jostled for the center of the cot, then finally relented when their father glared at both of them, sitting at head and foot.

"Children, I would invite you to share in an adventure." Mithrandir spoke easily, wasting no time whatsoever as he pulled up a chair from the the back wall of the infirmary.

"An adventure?" Legolas spoke first, letting a sceptical tone just slightly creep into his voice. "What sort of adventure, and what does it have to do with dwarves?" As he spoke, his tone turned les sceptical and more disgusted; it was no secret he had no love of dwarves.

Audrin was slower to speak, and slightly less sceptical, "Why do you come to us with this offer...about dwarves?" Suddenly, her eyes widened as she took in a new thought, "you don't mean...?" She left her sentence unfinished, choosing to instead stare at the Istari the same way she stared at those orcs they kept alive to interrogate.

"It is my policy never to allow myself to be interrogated." The wizard stared back, "I will only tell you the full story _after _you accept."

Audrin stared for a long moment, then turned and stalked to the outer wall. She turned to stare for a long moment, then pulled aside the intricately carved glass of the window and slipped out. "Legolas," she added, putting her head back through, "I'll be at the willow. To the rest of you, I'll be back in an hour, when I've actually had time to _think_ about this." Maer stood up-having been given clearance by Talris to stand _just _before they all barged in-and rushed to the window just in time to watch her friend slide down the slope of the roof and disappear over the edge.

"Where did she-"

"It's a secret," interrupted Legolas, "I'll be going to find my sister now." With that, the _ellon _slid after the _elleth, _disappearing the same way.

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><p><strong>(A.N: Ok, here's a short interlude: from here to the next linebreak is just describing Audrin and Legolas's childhood sanctuary, where it is, how and why they found it, etc., etc., etc. It is not neccesary for you to read it, and you can just skip to the next line break...you may need a tissue if your read this...see ya!)<strong>

According to legend-or at least the royal siblings-the immense old willow had presided over the riverbank since the rule of King Oropher. It grew in a small clearing ringed with bushes of blackberry and hazel bushes, cut through at the center by a stream about six feet wide and, at most, around five feet deep. With premission from their father, the siblings had dammed up the stream, giving them a deeper pool to swim or fish.

The area beneath the roots of the willow had long since been hollowed out by the stream, leaving a nice, dry place that had once been more than large enough for two small elflings to hide. Now though, it instead housed a pair of silver falcons, named Draug and Anga-Wolf and Iron in Elvish-rescued by Audrin when a hunting party had unwittingly killed both adults. Whenever one of the siblings left the realm, these falcons shuttled letters and parcels back and forth between them.

See, no matter what stereotypes were said about most siblings, they broke many, many rules. Yes, they teased each other, and yes they often pranked each other or called each other names, but they had always been unnaturally close. It had begun about fifty-four years after Audrin's birth, when their mother had been injured fighting at Gundabad. She had come home for healing, but it wasn't meant to be. She had died four years later, leaving her family devastated. After that, even as King Thranduil grew more and more distant, Legolas and Audrin, desperate to get their loving, caring and attentive father back had run off.

They hadn't gotten far though, having neglected to bring the proper supplies and weapons, they soon found themselves running from spiders. They had followed the stream to the clearing, desperate, and had found to their suprise that the spiders could not follow. They had camped there, and had actually begun to become acquainted. They had decided, reading the signs, that their mother's spirit protected this clearing for them, and had resolved to go home and be there for their poor father.

After that, they returned often, hiding and telling stories, as well as training and fighting. It was there that-under Legolas's instruction-Audrin had shot her first bull's eye with her bow. Eventually, with the love and care of his two children, King Thranduil became less withdrawn, becoming more like a father and less like a king.

**(A.N: Aww, wasn't that sweet/sad? Yeah, you might hear more about this at the end of the chapter; for now though, back to the story...did anyone need a tissue?)**

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><p>PoV Switch<p>

"Audrin, you cannot continue to run away from all your problems!" Legolas burst through the curtains created by the drooping willow branches, getting several leaves and branches tangled in his hair.

"Didn't you run away to come find me?" Audrin questioned, the surprising embodiment of calm as she swung upside down from one of the branches and held up her bow-which was not-so threateningly notched with a stick of venison jerky-and leveled it at her brother, "Surrender!" She shot it at him and he caught it one handed and took a bite. "Hey," the she-elf complained, "that's lunch for Draug and Anga!"

"Yeah, well that's unfortunate, and your fault for shooting it at me."

"True, but you still owe me some venison jerky."

"Do not."

"Do so." The she-elf stuck her tongue out, then added more solemnly, "So, what do you think of this quest, should we go?"

PoV Switch

Maeralyn jumped up, surprised as the doors slammed open and Legolas and Audrin burst back into the infirmary. In her surprise, she had spilled the hot chicken broth she had been drinking all over her body. King Thranduil looked surprised as well, but Mithrandir just looked up calmly.

"Have either of you made your decision, or am I to sit and wait even longer and enjoy this lovely broth while the two of you run around the forest making life choices?" The wizard looked slightly annoyed, "you were gone for one hour and four minutes, and, as you are not wizards, you are late."

"Elven royalty is never late, everyone else is simply early," retorted Audrin easily, and Maeralyn smiled lightly to herself; her friend had often made that exact same argument to her when she was late to an appointment.

"Decisions?" asked the Maia, clearly on the edge of his rocker, which he was, seated in a willow-wood rocking chair near the fire. Maer, who was feeling a bit uncomfortable watching her best friend argue with the wizard, did what she always did when she felt uncomfortable; she fumbled with her bracelet. This bracelet was a simple, yet beautiful silver chain with beautifully polished pale blue stones. It had been a gift from her parents and Maer always wore it to keep them close to her heart.

The two siblings glared at each other for a few moments, daring each other to speak, and then finally Audrin stepped forward. "Legolas," she said, totally calm, "shall _not _be going." Everyone stared for a moment, so she stepped back and shoved her brother in front of her.

Legolas hesitated then added, "My sister, however, will be going."

"On one condition," the she-elf shoved her brother back again, "Maeralyn, if she chooses comes as well…"

End of Chapter Five

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><p><strong>(A.N: So there's chapter five, chapter six should be up sometime tomorrow…if I get enough reviews…or if I type fast enough, it might even be sometime today…also, thank you to Amberflame805 for reading, reviewing, and following…YOU ROCK…also, thank you to EradrinSkyleaf for reading and reviewing, and mjg43 for following…you guys rock too!<strong>

**Next Chapter:**

**~We see what Maeralyn says~**

**~Thranduil throws another fit…and maybe another bottle of Dorwinion~**

**~Maeralyn finally gets to leave the infirmary~**

**~Legolas shows affection for his sister~**

**Sounds fun? Cool, see ya next chapter!**


	6. Audrin's Horse Race

**(A.N: Here's chapter six…lots of action here…maybe…probably not…anyways, chapter six...also, italics are in elvish, and bold italics are in hunting signals...also, the *s mean more info at the bottom)**

Maeralyn stared at the prince, though she knew some would call it rude or improper, for several moments before finally breaking, "what! I'm sorry Legolas, err-Prince Legolas," she quickly amended under the glare of King Thranduil, "could you please repeat that?"

"I said Audrin will go on the quest, but you, Maeralyn must go as well."

Thranduil stared at both his children, "Audrin, why are you going on this quest, and you Legolas, why would you let your sister go on this quest? And with dwarves? And to you again Audrin, why do you choose to go on this quest with a peasant?"

"Peasant? Father, why do you call my best friend a peasant? Besides, she is no peasant, she is one of the most gifted apprentice healers you have! Father, you do understand we are talking about _Maeralyn_, not _Mililan, _correct?" Audrin appraised her father through skeptical silver-green eyes, wearing just a slight frown.

"Yes, but she is no warrior, she is a healer; she is no fighter."

"She is still my best friend, and it is her final choice." Audrin turned and, yet again, headed toward the window, but halted by Maeralyn's bed side. "I'll actually go either way, but don't tell them that." She muttered in her ear so quietly that Maer had to strain her ears. She winked one eye and instead veered off towards the door. Maeralyn had to smile, her friend had always been rather tricky, and she was very good at manipulating people. It was actually why she was in charge of all diplomatic relations with surrounding realms...well, that and that she was the princess...

"Of course," Maer grinned at her friend's retreating back and turned her attention back to the very surprised wizard. "now can I hear more about this? And Legolas, why do I have to go?"

"Because, well, because, while my sister does not hate dwarves _quite _as much as most elves, she would still prefer the company of another elf, especially that of her best friend."

"So why don't you go, or go with her?"

"Because we agreed that it would make more sense for me to stay, as the Crown Prince of the realm." as he noticed Maeralyn's angry expression, he quickly added, "I'm not bragging, her exact words, I swear by the _Valar_."

"Well I," began the king, "am not just going to let my only daughter leave the realm to go questing with dwarves and a wizard, with or without a good proper elvish healer! And you, how dare you put these ideas of dwarvish quests in my children's heads?" The Elven King wheeled on his wizard guest, then turned away for a moment, calming down. At least, so Maer believed, until Thranduil whirled suddenly, holding a fresh bottle of Dorwinion threateningly at the wizard. "You will _Not _take my daughter away from me!" He roared in pure fury. He pulled back, then let the bottle of wine fly.

In the two seconds the bottle was suspended in flight, Audrin burst back through the window, moving so fast she was just a brown and green blur. As Maeralyn blinked, she lost focus for a split second, and when she got a clean view again, she noticed Audrin gripping the bottle by the neck one handed less than an inch from the Istari's face. "I'm not even going to ask father," the princess gazed coolly at her father with one eyebrow raised, learned from the king himself. "Maeralyn, of you want to go somewhere to consider Mithrandir's proposition_, Nekte***** is saddled and ready," _she spoke elvish, which she had learned long before was the best way to calm Maer. _"Do you want company, I require time to think as well."_

_"Thank you Audrin, and yes please."_

"Legolas,_ would you like to come as well? I believe Father and Mithrandir have...some things to discuss."_

_"You have to ask? Any chance you saddled Menel****** as well?"_

_"Nope, no such luck, sorry." _Audrin grinned sarcastically at her brother, "_Father, may we please be dismissed?"_

The Elvenking considered all three young elves for a long moment, then sighed. "Very well, please be back by dawn children."

"Of course _Adar, _must you worry so?" Audrin smiled and batted her eyelashes innocently-doing her manipulative thing-at her father, who gave her a knowing smile.

"Dismissed, the three of you. Maeralyn, stretch your legs. Legolas, be back in time for crown fitting. Audrin, next time prepare your brother's horse."

Audrin sighed, "Very well Adar."

She turned, missing Legolas sticking his tounge out at her.

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><p>"You'll never win Legolas, there is a reason I'm the stable master and you're not!" Audrin's voice rose over the rushing wind, going directly into Maeralyn's ears. Far ahead along the path, she could pick out the dark shape of Audrin on her pure black stallion <em>Lith<em>*****, **as well as the-rather paler-shape of Legolas and his mare, _Menel_. Even at the beginning of this...friendly competition, Maeralyn had known full well she would lose the race. For one thing, Audrin's horse _Lith _was easily the cream of the crop. Even for an elvish horse, _Lith _was unnaturally strong and fast, as well as startlingly clever. He was also, rather strangely, a black horse. Maeralyn-despite her expert knowledge of herbs and her lack of knowledge about horses-knew very well that it was incredibly rare for a horse of his particular breed to be black. He was basically his mistress as a horse...except the black part...

_Merel, _Legolas's horse, was second only to _Lith. _The beautiful pale gray mare was brave and dedicated, but she was also a bit more frisky and playful, even when it was necessary to be serious. She too was a perfect match for her master.

_Nekte, _Maer's horse, had been a gift from Audrin four years before. She had been small and clumsy as a colt, but as she had grown and matured, she had grown tall and graceful. The beautiful golden Palomino mare had been chosen by Audrin for the soft gentleness that was clearly visible in her brown eyes, as well as the way that, whenever Maer had come to visit her friend in the stable, the young gelding had always gone to her, sniffing around for sugar cubes. As she had grown, they had also noticed the steadiness of her strides; the way she seemed to be actively looking out for her rider. Audrin had even made sure Maer had ridden her the first time she had been tacked up and saddled.

Maer was snapped out of her thoughts as Legolas replied, "yeah well, I've been on considerably longer journeys than you, my dear sister."

"Well, the score is going to get a bit closer soon...you know, unless _Adar _throws another bottle of Dorwinion at Mithrandir...or Maer chooses not to go."

"I thought you said I didn't need to go for you to go!"

Audrin and _Lith _leapt over the fallen log that marked the finish line just ahead of Legolas, then she pulled back to slow _Lith _into a walk. After Maeralyn and _Nekte _leapt the finish line as well, she skillfully maneuvered _Lith _to their side. "I did, and I meant it. I'm doing it in case my father sent scouts."

"You think he would do that?"

"He has before."

"True, but maybe-" Maer broke of as Legolas raced back down the path.

"Hey Audrin, Maer, come look at this!" noticing the wild fear in the _ellon's _eyes, he two _elleths_, looked at each other, shrugged, and followed the prince. They entered a small clearing, and found an incredibly horrible scene of carnage. Scattered over the clearing, the bodies of elves and orcs lay side by side, still clutching their weapons. Arrows and spears were scattered about, some well camouflaged in long clumps of grass, and blood watered the ground. With her healer's eyes, she could tell several of the elves and horses-as well as those of orcs and wargs-were still alive, though badly, sometimes mortally wounded. In the middle of the clearing, twelve orcs still stood, looking unharmed, standing threateningly around all that remained of the hunting party; exactly one elf.

"Corlen!" Audrin whispered, holding her hand over her own mouth to keep from yelling. Maer followed her gaze and had to cover her own mouth as well. While Audrin, Legolas, and herself were a close group, in 'elvish packs' as Audrin called it-what was it with all the wolf terms anyway-, there were always at least four members. This fourth member was of-course, Corlen. The dark-haired _ellon _was second in charge at the stables, and was very close to Audrin in particular. He was a wild elf, the kind who jumped of cliffs into rivers, who slid on shields down the front steps of the palace, and the one who always had something funny to say...actually, it made perfect sense that he was close to Audrin and Legolas, it was more his friendship with Maeralyn that came as a surprise. Despite his adventurous nature, Corlen had originally trained as a healer, but had taken Maer's advice and had found his true calling as a warrior of the realm.

"We are going to use a plan, not just charge, right?" Maer worriedly looked between the royal siblings. No matter how intelligent they were, when it came to their friends being in danger, they sometimes grew just slightly restless.

"Charging is a plan, right?"

Maeralyn was about to reply to Audrin's rather odd question, when Legolas burst out of the bushes, yelling, "Charge!" or rather, he tried to, but Audrin leapt forward and caught him.

"You realize I was kidding, right?"

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><p>PoV Switch<p>

Audrin glanced across the clearing, her keen eyes picking out Maeralyn's black hair in the underbrush. Glancing to the south, she picked out Legolas's pale silver-blond hair high in a birch tree. She herself was perched in a lower branch of a maple. From this angle, she had a perfect view of Corlen's face. Her friend's face was far paler than it should have been, and his eyes were shadowed, as if he had been drugged or was suffering from a few injuries-which he probably was.

**Audrin, give the signal. **Legolas signaled from his side...her brother had never been a huge fan of giving the orders through hand signals.

**You do it Legolas. It's your job. **Audrin retorted, frowning at him.

**I'll do it...Go, now, charge! **Maer shut them both up with several quick signals, finally displaying the signal to charge. In a quarter of a second, all three elves leapt from their hiding places, rushing to the aid of their friend...

End of Chapter Six

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><p><strong>(A.N: Ok, so what do you guys think? I'm evil, no? XD yeah well, too bad...see ya next chapter, please review!<strong>

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><p><strong>Next Chapter:<strong>

**~Our heroes make a daring attempt to rescue Corlen~**

**~Maeralyn makes her choice~**

**~Audrin and Thranduil argue~**

**~Maybe a flashback~**

**Sounds cool? Bye!**

*** Nekte is elvish for "Honey" hope you like Eradrin XD**

**** Menel is elvish for "Sky" I figure Legolas had a different horse sixty years ago**

***** Lith is elvish for "Ash"**

**Thank you!)**


	7. Legolas' Favorite Nicknames

**(A.N: hey there peoples, here's chapter seven! Did I murder-err, upset you with the suspense? NO? Well I'll try again later...XD...Chapter seven peoples!)**

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><p>Audrin leapt from her branch in the maple, unslinging her bow from her back and pulling two of her trademark silver arrows from her quiver-which she had fortunatly remembered to restock. With her first shot, she shot one of the twelve orcs through the heart and caught the second in the leg. Legolas quickly dispatched of another orc with his long knives, and Maeralyn slayed one and finished of the one Audrin had shot. Seeing that that left eight orcs, she slayed another with her bow, slung it back over her shoulder, and leapt down to join her companions.<p>

"You notice every time I go on a trip into the woods with you two _royal _siblings, we always run into some enemy of the state?" Maer called from across the battlefield where she had just slain another orc with a perfectly timed dagger. "How about next time, you two just come visit me in the infirmary?"

"I can definetly agree with that, especially since Corlen is likely to be there next time." The two friends shared a quick smile before Audrin broke their gaze ducking beneath a heavy club swung by an orc. "I know they're strong and all, but how exactly do orcs use such heavy weapons Maer? You are the expert with that kind of thing."

"Short answer, they're orcs. Long answer, little to long to explain at the moment.

"That's fair, I can wait if it means a glass of your famous healing hot chocolate is in my future." Audrin deflected an orc's rusty sword with one of her long knives, but before she could kill it with the other, the orc pushed on, leaving a small cut on her forearm. "Hey, if you get a cut from a rusty sword, is it going to get infected?"

"There's a fair chance, bet you wish that orc was using a club now."

"Audrin, duck," Audrin was interupted in her retort by Legolas. She quickly followed his suggestion and hit the ground as one of her brother's arrows whistled over her head and empaled an orc's shoulder. Before the vile thing had a chance to recover, she thrust one of her knives upwards, cutting a gash in the orc's chest.

"Thank you oh brother dear."

"Gladly Sis."

"If I've told you once, I've told you a thousand times; don't call me Sis!" Audrin sprang nimbly back to her feet, surveying the scene. One orc was attacking Leglolas, two were charging Maeralyn, who looked totally prepared, one was rushing Audrin, and one was...stalking toward Corlen. Audrin let out a cry, like that of an animal, then lunged forward to defend her incapacited friend. She ran up a large rock, and leapt from the top, flying about a foot over the incoming orc's head and plunging one knife into the orc's heart. "Maer, keep one of those orcs alive, would you please? The one attacking our injured friend isn't living 'til morning." Maer nodded in agreement, then disposed of the first of her attackers. Legolas too had dispatched his orc, and was hurrying across the field to help Maeralyn subdue the second orc.

"Stay back tree-rat," snarled the last orc, standing over Corlen with a sharp knife of elvish make. He had probably stolen it from a deceased elf. "This dog doesn't survive the night."

"You know _orch, _I just said the same thing about you." She gave the orc a winning smile that was absolutly terrifying with the darkness in her eyes, then replaced her sword with her long knives, "your move _urco."_

The orc snarled and lunged, momentarily forgetting Corlen. "Very well, scum, you can die as well, and be waiting for the dog in your precious Halls of Mandos." It sneered at her, deflecting both of her knives with his own.

"You fight with two knives, impressive, for an orc." She pushed his knives back with one, and stabbed at it's chest with the other. "But not impressive enough," she lunged, hitting the one of the orc's knives with the flat of her blade, the sheer force propelled by her anger was enough to break it's wrist. In its pain, the orc dropped its knife.

"You may kill me, but I'll kill your fellow tree-rat first," the orc plunged its remaining knife directly into Corlen's chest. The male elf just stared up at the orc's grotesque face, his dark blue eyes dull with pain.

As the orc turned back to Audrin, who was momentarily frozen in horror, it smiled, but it never said another word. "Stay away from my princess!" despite his many injuries, Corlen's voice was strong and clear as he reached up and stabbed the orc through the back, directly into its heart. The orc collapsed, falling on top of Corlen.

Audrin stood over the body of the orc and the still body of her friend for a long moment, but just before she turned back to Legolas and Maeralyn, she felt a sharp pain in her shoulder, felt herself collapsing, felt the ground just slightly quivering as her best friends-one of whom was also her brother-running to her side. _An arrow in her shoulder..._

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><p>Audrin blinked open her eyes. <em>Oww, my shoulder. <em>Despite how blurry her gaze was, she had been in this position often enough to be able to tell she was laying in her old sanctuary of cot 2-9. The headboard was directly beneath the big bay window, and the morning sun shown down, warming her dark haired head, giving of a slight shadow. On the small table at the bedside lay several-dozen-get well cards, as well as various arrows. It had become a tradition in Audrin's division of the guard to leave one of their own arrows as a symbol that they were united and actively looking out for each other. Finally, between two clusters of arrows lay single, beautiful _ithil lote_-a moon flower to the common tounge. None of this however was what caught her gaze.

Near the bottom of the cot, curled near her feet was a small _carad ronyo_-a red fox. As she watched, the little creature looked her in the eyes with its beautiful, dark brown eyes.

"Thought you'd like it." Audrin looked up from the little animal and was relieved to see Corlen across from her in cot 4-9, "Of course, Maeralyn and Legolas actually got it...it was actually Maeralyn's idea."

"I can't believe you're alive, I thought you were dead!"

"So did I."

"For once, I'm glad to be wrong. What's the _ronyo _for?"

"I think it was supposed to be a get well soon present from your division. They know more than well enough how much you love animals, especially dog animals. Now you have an army of dogs, wolves, _and _foxes."

"True...hey, do you know where Maer and Legolas went?" Audrin reached down and stroked the small fox under the chin, "I think I'll call you _Runya_." As soon as she spoke the elvish word, the fox looked up at her and locked her gaze.

"Flame? Oh, and Legolas should be here at any minute. As for Maeralyn, she went to collect herbs and should be here soon. Why Flame?"

"I don't know yet, but I feel like it's important."

"Audrin!" Legolas burst in, hauling Maer in one-handed. "You're alive! And you've seen our present, I wanted to be here for that!" He released Maeralyn and hugged his sister with both arms.

Maer hugged her as well, then settled down in the chair next to the cot to sort her herbs. "Here," she added, handing Audrin a bundle of green leaves. "That's just incase your brother gets any more ideas about hair dye."Audrin cheered and dropped the bundle of leaves next to the moon flower. "And I also have something to say. Legolas, have you explained everything to Corlen?"

"Yeah, he has. Audrin, why didn't you ask me to come too? I'm not mad, just curious."

"Because, well, I wanted you to take charge of my guard division during my absense. What were you going to say Maeralyn?"

"Well, I decided that, considering the way you always seem to get injured when you leave the palace, that you kind of need a healer around at all times-"

"What about Legolas?"

"He'll be fine, he has Talris and Silvinia and Clorden and-well, that's not the point. The point is, Audrin, if you still want me to go...and if your father actually lets you go-which I kind of doubt-I'll go."

End of Chapter Seven

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><p><strong>(So there is chapter seven, have fun reviewing!<strong>

**Next Chapter:**

**~We get to watch Maeralyn and Audrin pack~  
>~Goodbye to Corlen and Legolas~<strong>

**~Runya moves into the Willow tree cave~**

**Sounds fun? Cool...going to try to get another chapter up today, but somehow I doubt it will happen...Bye!)**


	8. Maeralyn's Farewells

**(Hiya peoples, Celtic Silver here with another amazing (hardly) chapter of ****_Fire of the Forest. _Sounds cool? Great, look down below for chapter eight. See ya down below!)**

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><p>"Silivian, give me those herbs, I need them for my trip," Maer called jokingly at the younger she-elf. Since she had started working in the infirmary four hundred years before, Silivian had quickly become her best friend in the infirmary. "She leapt up and caught the small leather sack from her friend's grasp. "Ha, got it!" She carefully added the herb pouch to her sack. Normally, she would never have stowed all her things in a simple sack, but Audrin had given her a saddle bag that could easily be converted into a leather knapsack to sling over her back. Also inside this sack was a water canteen, a week's worth of dried fruit and jerky, and a half dozen daggers she had collected over the years. She also had a small, golden hickory sculpture of <em>Nekte<em> that Corlen had carved for her. With its beautiful, tiny white gem eyes, it was a wonderful reminder of home; those gems had long been a symbol of her people.

"How come you get to go on a quest anyway?" Silivian gave a fake pout that quickly turned into a smile. "While you're gone, I'm making a move on Tinluel. You know he likes you, right?" She flipped her long pale blond hair over her shoulder and got back to organizing her herbs.

"Go ahead, I'm not interested." Maeralyn laughed at the thought, then unsheathed her long sword and considered it. "I should go get this sharpened, been a while since I did any orc fighting."

"I'll take it if you want, you really need to get dressed, you're leaving just past sunhigh, and that's in about two hours." She grabbed Maer's sword and ran off deeper into the palace.

"Hey, don't run with that!" Maer called to her friend's retreating back. "That elf is going to be the death of everyone in the palace," she muttered, shaking her head. She frowned at her outfit; dark green tunic, brownish leggings, dark green cloak and dark brown boots. "I'll look like I live in the forest. Good thing that's the point." The only thing that made her look different was her bracelet, which she would never have left behind.

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><p>Audrin frowned at her closet. Despite most stereotypes that princesses had vast closets and huge trunks of shoes, Audrin had a small stand up closet full of basic Mirkwood clothes, a few fancy dresses like the one she had worn to the celebration the week before, several pairs of brown leather boots, and a few pairs of fancy expensive heels. Audrin however generally dressed more like her people. The only stereotype she actually did match up to was the jewelry; she had several leather cases of tiaras, of bracelets and necklaces, earrings and intricate combs and head pieces.<p>

In this case though, she dressed more like a normal elf; brown-gray leggings, short-skirted green dress and dark leather jerkin, dark leather gauntlets embroidered with silver thread that did not cover her hands-she had always hated that kind of thing, things that covered her hands that is-dark leather boots, and a gray-green cloak that really brought out her eyes. Unfortunatly, her father had insisted that she at least wore the gems of a princess; an intricatly woven silver circlet of ivy with the occasional white gem woven in, a simple silver bracelet on her forearm, and a beautiful silver ring that held a small leaf-shaped emerald that identified her as royalty of the Woodland Realm. "Wow," she muttered, looking at her selected jewelry, "I really have a thing for silver, huh?" It was true, everyone told her so.

Despite her unusual wardrobe, the rest of her room was up to code for a princess. It had large, thick silver birch tree trunk columns-branches still attached, an ebony wood desk-actually, it came from the same tree her bow had come from-with several drawers, as well as a swan feather quill, an inkstand, a flower vase, which held all the arrows exchanged in her army division, and a comfortable low-backed ebony chair-as well as an immense pile of paperwork from her father that seemed permanent, a pine bookcase full of old books on the history of the Arda, pine floor boards, several potted forest plants and a painting of _Lith _as a colt on the wall. The sun that came through the large bay window always glinted on the metal racks and glass cases where she stored her swords, daggers, bow, and arrows. More recently-meaning four days before-she had also added a plush rug for_ Runya_ to sleep on-she would have let him sleep on her bed, but she rarely actually slept at home, and when she did, she just slept in the branches of her columns.

"Come on little one," she told the small red fox who was laying comfortably across her desk, "I'm going to get you settled in the willow cave, then I'm going to have to get dressed to get out of here on time." The fox stared up at her with its innocent brown eyes, but she just regarded it with gentle amusement. "Come on, and don't worry; Legolas will take good care of you. Probably."

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><p>"Do you prefer the silver comb or the gold Miss?" Audrin stared back at her maid, frowning slightly. Macial had served her for over four hundred years, and yet the maid-who she didn't really need to begin with but that her father insisted on her having-still didn't seem to realize that given the choice between silver and gold, she would almost always chose silver. <em>Almost. <em>

"The silver, thank you. Actually, I believe I can manage myself thank you. You are dismissed for the moment." Macial curtsied and exited, closing the pine door behind her. Audrin considered the two combs on the desk before her. "You know, the gold actually does work better with my hair." She raced out the door-trying and failing to look proper-down the stairs-she was lucky to have the closest door to the staircase-and down to the fourth floor, which housed the infirmary, as well as the rooms of all those who worked in it. Maer's room was closer to the middle of the hall, just across from the infirmary. She knocked twice, waited for two moments, then knocked thrice more. Long ago, the two had established a secret knock.

"Come in Audrin," Maer's voice came through the slightly cracked door. Audrin stepped in, finding herself in a room rather like her own, only slightly smaller. It also had a small single bed, as well as several herb drying racks laying out in the sun.

"You got anything else to do before we have to get out of here?" Audrin pulled her way easily up one of the birch columns and settled comfortably, watching her friend.

"Just my hair, you?"

"Myself as well, as well as, of course, saying goodbye."

"Naturally. Come down here, will you? I'll do your hair if you do mine."

Audrin leapt down from the colums branches, "deal, of course."

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><p>"You ready?" The two she elves stood side by side before the double oak doors that lead to the throne room. King Thranduil had ordered them to go through the throne room for a pre-quest reception and so he could give his blessing. "Don't worry, being presented by my father is-somehow-something you do eventually get used to. Are you alright?"<p>

"I suppose, besides, it's too late to turn back now."

"Sadly, that's fair, but trust me you'll be fine. If you don't trust me, ask Legolas. Or Corlen. Or Tauriel. Come to think of it, you could ask all three after this is over. And don't forget the acceptance words I taught you."

"Princess Audrin, Lady Maeralyn, the king is ready for the reception." A guard stuck his head out one of the doors, then ducked back in. A moment later, the double doors swung open, revealing multiple centuries, guards, and, at the end of the vast room, King Thranduil's high throne. Tauriel stood at his left, Legolas and Corlen at his right. The Elvenking lounged, looking almost bored. Despite her brave words a moment before, Audrin looked almost as nervous as Maeralyn herself. However, she seemed to quickly get control of her emotions, putting on a confident smile and holding her head high. Maer looked forward and found suprising comfort in Legolas's calm, silver-blue gaze.

"Today," began the king in a voice quite unlike his normal, disinterested drawl, probably because this quest was being taken by his daughter. And it included dwarves, "we are here to send off Princess Celeblas*** **and Lady Maeralyn of the Woodland Realm." As the king went on in his long speech, Maer turned to Audrin.

"Celeblas? How does he get 'Silver Leaf' from Audrin? What language is 'Audrin' anyway?"

"I'll tell you later."

"Lady Maeralyn, please come forward. Do you swear to properly represent your realm, to conduct yourself with bravery and honor, and to devote your heart and soul to this quest, but to never forget your true allegiances?"

"I, Lady Maeralyn, do come forward to your call. I swear to properly represent my realm, to conduct myself with bravery and honor, to devote my heart and soul to this quest, but to never forget my true allegiances." Maeralyn seemed to find her voice, she spoke proudly and truely, perfectly saying every word as Audrin had instructed.

"Then you have my blessing." Maer came forward and knelt at the foot of the throne. The Elvenking bent and kissed her brow to show that he gave his blessing. "Take good care of my daughter." He whispered in her ear. He straightened, "Princess Audrin, come forward. My daughter, please come forward. Do you swear to properly represent your realm, to conduct yourself with bravery and honor, to devote your heart and soul to this quest, but to never forget your true allegiances?"

"I, Princess Audrin, do come forward to your call. I swear to properly represent my realm, to conduct myself with bravery and honor, to devote my heart and soul to this quest, but to never forget my true allegiances." Her voice was loud and clear, though lacking most of its normal confidence.

"Then you have my blessing." Audrin knelt before her father beside Maeralyn. He bent, blessing his daughter as well. "My daughter, I bestow upon you _The Ravanger-_a sword of our ancestors the Gondolin. I also bestow upon you this white gem as a symbol of our people. Come forth my people, and say farewell to your friends." The king waved his hand and his people came forth.

The first to come forward was Audrin's guard division, greeting, and hugging, and acting like a gigantic extended family. Audrin, who walked by her side, had produced a vast armful of her silver arrows and was sticking to the old tradition of exchanging arrows. By the time they reached the last warrior, Audrin carried a new bundle of different arrows-little known fact of the Woodland Realm, every elf had a unique style of arrow.******

The second to come forward was all the healers. They too acted like an extended family, exchanging greetings and hugs. Both she elves got a hug and a kiss on the brow from Talris, who looked like she was trying not to let her tears flow.

After this came Tauriel with a respectful nod and an arrow for both. Maer felt something pressed into her hand. She turned and saw three of her own arrows, with a grin from Audrin. She traded one of these arrows with Tauriel, with a smile between them.

Next was Corlen, who hugged both. After their hug, Audrin traded his arrow for her own armful, minus her final two silver arrows. "Could you take care of these for me? I think I need a new vase."

"Of course," Corlen grinned, "but you do have to hold on to mine."

"Fine," Audrin grinned back with a sarcastic eye roll.

Following tradition, when father said farewell first, son said it last, which was a fancy way of saying when King Thranduil said farewell first, Legolas said farewell last. "Fairwell Maeralyn," he spoke in her ear, "please look after my sister."

"Don't worry, it's the reason I'm going." They shared a momentary smile, then Maeralyn walked past, standing a little way off as the royal siblings said farewell.

They stood apart from all the other elves, side by side, speaking so quietly that, even if Maeralyn had wanted to eavesdrop, she wouldn't be able to hear them.

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><p><em>"Come back home, my sister." <em>Legolas muttered in Audrin's ear. _"Kill some orcs for me."_

_"Of course brother, and you know fully well I would."_

The siblings hugged tightly, then Legolas stepped back, whistling softly. A sleek silver shape flew from its perch on their father's throne. _"Take Draug with you, in case you ever have a message to send."_

_"I do not need it Legolas, if we have messages-"_

_"I will send Anga, this is in case you desperately need help."_

"Alright," Audrin relented, switching to common, "but you have to take care of Runya for me, and Corlen. And yourself."

"I agree."

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><p>After all the farewels, Audrin and Maeralyn followed Gandalf to the stable. There, whil Maer brushed and braided <em>Nekte's <em> mane and tail, Audrin wandered around the stable, insistant on saying farewells to nearly every horse before finally going to _Lith's _stall. Once all three had tacked up, they set out.

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><p>Two days later, after unnaturally fast riding through the woods, they reached the western border of the forest. After they had both passed out of the forest and left the elven road, Mithrandir turned and regarded them calmly.<p>

"Home is now behind you, the world is ahead."

End of Chapter Eight

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><p><strong>So, in case you missed it, here's the final description for what Maeralyn and Audrin packed and wore for the journey (Everything italicized bold unless otherwise specified is a living thing, everything in normal italicized font is reasons):<strong>

_**Maeralyn~**_

**Packed:**

**Week's worth of dried fruit, and jerky **_Do I really need to explain?_

**(?) week's worth of Lembas bread **_See above_

**Water canteen **_Really?_

**Dried herbs and medicines **_Uhmmm, she's a healer_

**Sculpture of _Nekte _**_Reminder of home_

**Bedroll **_Seriously?_

**Weapons:**

**Six daggers **_Needs no explaination_

**Sword **_Again, no explaination_

**Clothing:**

**Dark Green Tunic**

**Brown(ish) Leggings**

**Dark Green Cloak**

**Dark Brown Boots**

**Hair: **

**Long black put in warrior braids**

**Jewelry:**

**Silver Chain Bracelet with Light Blue Crystals **_Belonged to her mother_

**Animals (Yes I deemed this necessary):**

_**Nekte~**_**Golden Palomino Mare **_You expect her to run the whole way?_

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><p><strong><em>Audrin<em>~**

**Packed:**

**Four Flint Stones **_Fire!_

**Four week's worth of Lembas bread **_Uhmmm, food?_

**Water canteen **_What do you think?_

**Writing quill and ink bottle **_There's a reason she brought Draug_

**Parchment **_See previous_

**White gem (Just in case) **_Symbol of the realm and good for bribery_

**Sunflower Seeds **_In case she meets a squirrel_

**Sixteen feet of rope **_Elves like climbing_

**Scroll (You get to see what it's for later) **_You'll see...MWHAHAHAHAHAHA_

**Bedroll **_No explaination_

**Hunting knife (Weapon?) **She's a hunter

**Worn:**

**Short-skirted green dress**

**Gray-brown leggings**

**Dark leather jerkin**

**Dark brown handless laced gauntlets embroidered with silver**

**Dark leather boots**

**Gray-green cloak**

**Hair:**

**Dark brown in a single braid, woven with ivy**

**Weapons:**

**Three dozen silver-fletched arrows **_Archery is fun_

**Bow**

_**The Ravager-**_**sword of the Gondolin (Not living, just italicized) **_It was forged by her kin, the high elves of the west (bonus points if you can tell me who said that in what movie)_

**Two long knives **_Ok, now I'm getting bored of this _

**Two daggers **_*Eye roll*_

**Jewelry:**

**Silver ivy circlet **_She is still a princess after all_

**Silver bracelet **_Silver is her color_

**Silver ivy ring with emerald **_Identification_

**Animals:**

_**Lith**_**-black stallion **_She is not running the whole way_

_**Draug**_**-silver falcon **_Legolas is a worrier_

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><p><strong>* Ok so, (this is going to be a longer one) before anybody starts chewing me out about how you should <em>never <em>change the names of any of your characters, just hear-err, read-me out. See, Audrin-as far as I know-is not and has never been an elvish word, because I made it up. Anyway, I'm saying it means 'Silver Leaf' in...some other language-not to be known right now-anyway, Silver Leaf translated to elvish means 'Celeb Lasse,' shortened to 'Celeblas.' Hmmm, actually not that long. Cool? So the royal siblings of Mirkwood are 'Green Leaf' and 'Silver Leaf.' Weird?**

**** I made this up, I have no idea if this is actually true, though it really wouldn't suprise me.**

*****Ok, so if anybody wonders why Maeralyn and Audrin pack so differently, it's because Maeralyn is a healer, and hasn't been out in the forest as much , and because Audrin is your (not so) standard warrior princess...and because her father is a worry-warrior, and wants her to wear proper jewelry to 'properly represent the realm and the royal family'...and because Legolas made her bring a falcon...and because they collaborated what they packed ahead of time...good explaination? Yes? No?...Thoughts Eradrin?**

**Ok, so this chapter was unusually long, anybody wonder why? Well the answer is because today is my last day off of school, and I wanted to leave you guys a present as an apology. I would never give this story up, don't worry, it's just that updates may not be as regular (as in not every day) except for weekends. Oh, and by the way, this chapter is over three thousand words...that's huge...for me...Until next time-**

**~Celtic Silver**

**Next Chapter**

**~Skip ahead to when Bilbo gets some..._Unexpected _Company~**

**~A duel and the beginning of a possible feud~**

**~The beginning of a rather unlikely friendship~**


	9. Gandalf's Burglar

**(A.N: Ok, so here's chapter nine...nine has always been my favorite number. Anyway, here's the chapter...also, this is a time skip, to the week after Bilbo gets his door painted...)**

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><p>"Now my dear elves," Gandalf turned to Maeralyn and Audrin, "during our travels I told you about the true purpose of our quest, did I not?"<p>

"Yes, you did Mithrandir." Audrin frowned at the Maia from her position on _Lith's _back, "Not," she added to Maeralyn, "he just told us last week that for our mission we needed a burglar." For about the past hour or so, they had been traveling through a bright, green forest. This forest was nothing like the Greenwood had been as of late; being bright, green and full of sun. The woodland creatures weren't so vicious, with a considerable lack of spiders, and the undergrowth grew dense and thick. Beside her, Maeralyn considered the wizard as well, looking calm and relaxed in the sunny wood.

"Well, then I am sure you have both greatly pondered this quest, and have come to the conclusion we are highly likely to need a burglar?"

"Yes Mithrandir." This time it was Maeralyn who answered, looking rather bored with the wizard as her healer's eyes took in the herbs that grew poorly back in Mirkwood, the same herbs that flourished here. "If herbs grew this well back home, there would be considerably less healers," Maeralyn joked in Audrin's ear.

"Yes indeed. I guess you should be happy we live in a vast kingdom with fewer herbs," Audrin joked back, "I assume you do love your job?"

"Definitely," agreed Maeralyn, "but it certainly would be easier if we didn't have a certain pair of royal siblings getting injured on a daily basis."

"I would love to argue with that, but we both know I really can't."

"And I," said Mithrandir, glaring back at the elves from his position far ahead, "would like to get there before Mr. Baggins settles down for elevensies. You both know enough about hobbits to know we could never get him to budge when he gets food in his stomach I assume."

"Actually," said Maeralyn, her eyes taking notice of several clumps of dock growing at the foot of a vast oak, "wouldn't he be easier to convince after a meal?"

"You do have to admit Mithrandir that she has a point." Audrin reached up from _Lith's _back and grabbed two apples from a tree branch above, tossing one to Maer. "Come to think of it, maybe we could convince him with some of these nice apples."

"Perhaps, perhaps, but I feel that what I have in mind will work just as well." All three riders emerged from the forest and found themselves gazing down at a beautiful sunny little village built largely into the rolling hills.

All three gazed down for a moment before Audrin turned to Maer, "Welcome to Hilltown."

"Welcome to the Shire." Maer corrected, laughing.

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><p>Maeralyn and Audrin peered over the crest of the hill down at the curly-haired head of Mister Bilbo Baggins, who was smoking a pipe. "I," muttered Audrin to Maeralyn, "will never understand the appeal of smoking. An apple however, I can very much understand the appeal of."<p>

"Actually, you were right."

"You'll have to be more specific, I'm right about eight-and-a-half times out of ten." Audrin grinned at her friend jokingly.

"I meant about this being a hill town." Maeralyn playfully punched her friend in the arm, and Audrin responded by pretending to roll down the slope of the hill. Both focused again however when Gandalf stood before the hobbit having already blown a smoky butterfly up his nose.

"Aww, complained Audrin, "I was really looking forward to that part."

"As was I."

"Good morning." the hobbit spoke in a rather friendly and slightly surprised tone staring at the wizard.

"Do you mean to wish me a good morning, or do you mean it is a good morning whether I want it or not? Or perhaps you mean to say you feel good on this particular morning? Or are you simply stating this is a good morning to be good on? Hm?"

The hobbit stared at the wizard, and Maeralyn muttered to Audrin, "I bet he says he means all of them at once."

"No bet."

"All of them at once, I suppose," said the hobbit, waving his pipe.

"Glad I didn't bet."

The wizard stared at the hobbit, as he spoke again, "Can I help you?"

"That remains to be seen. I'm looking for someone to share in an adventure."

"You remember when he said that to us?" Asked Maer, laying on her back beside her friend.

"Well, more specifically he said it to me; you _were _knocked out."

The hobbit stared at the wizard, seeming to fumble with his words, "an adventure?" Bilbo straightened, shaking his curly head, "No, I don't imagine anyone west of Bree would have much interest in adventures." He waved his pipe vaguely in a direction that was actually south.

"Ach," Audrin, who was nearly over his pipe now, faked choking, "You got anything for getting smoke in your lungs?"

"Just some honey you big elfling," Maeralyn snickered.

"Nasty, disturbing, uncomfortable things," continued the hobbit, now standing tall-or as tall as a hobbit could be-and bent over the fence to check inside his mailbox. Maer was personally a bit surprised the Maia didn't whack his curly head with his staff. "Make you late for dinner. Heh, heh." the hobbit went on, "Oh. Ah." The hobbit turned and had just started up his path, "Good morning."

"To think that I should have lived to be 'good morninged' by Belladonna Took's son as if I was selling buttons at the door."

"Beg your pardon?" The hobbit turned back, regarding the wizard curiously.

"You've changed, and not entirely for the better, Bilbo Baggins."

Oh, enough of this," muttered Audrin, rolling down the back of the hill, "this is terribly boring, want to go explore the forest instead?"

"But shouldn't we-" Maeralyn began, only to be cut off.

"Think Maer; dock, yarrow, colt's foot?"

"Fine. And for once, you actually managed to name three herbs, not three poisons."

"Is the name of Bilbo's mother, Belladonna, an herb?"

"Actually, no. You may know it better as deadly nightshade."

"Oh...do I get bonus points for naming a poison too?"

"And Gandalf is...Me." was the last thing they heard, for the two she elves were already running towards the forest.

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><p>PoV Switch<p>

Bilbo sighed, sitting at his table. There was nothing quite like a nice fried fish after a very odd visitor. He stuck his napkin in his collar and had just finished sprinkling pepper on his fish when the bright ringing of his doorbell came from the front. When he opened the door, he found the back of a very tall, bald-headed dwarf. The dwarf turned, "Dwalin, at your service." he spoke dipping his head so they were eye to eye.

"Hm. Uh..." Bilbo stuttered. _Even more company is the last thing I need! _"Bilbo Baggins, at yours," he spoke clearly after his momentary lapse, quickly tying the belt of his robe. "Do we know each other?" He hastily added, as the so-called Dwalin ducked through the round door.

The dwarf frowned strangely at his rather smaller host, "No!" As he walked down the hall unslinging his weapons from his back, he added, "Which way laddie, is it down here?"

"I-is what down where?"

"Supper," said Dwalin, throwing his weaponry into Bilbo's arms. "He said there'd be food and lots of it."

"H-he said? Who said?" the second part was more of a whisper, as Dwalin had already disappeared into his largely his dining room.

Bilbo frowned at the dwarf, arms crossed as he watched Dwalin devour his fish. _I suppose I need something stronger than fish for this one. _

"Very good this, any more?" asked Dwalin, having already bitten off the unfortunate fish's head.

"What, oh, yes, yes." Bilbo turned and showed Dwalin a plate of rolls-after hastily grabbing one off the top. _By the time he's done, this may be all the food I have. _"Help yourself." Seemingly without even looking, the dwarf just grabbed a handful and shoveled it in his mouth. "Hmm, it's just that, um, I wasn't expecting company."

"That'll be the door," Dwalin spoke glaring at Bilbo as the doorbell rang again.

Once the door swung open once again, Bilbo found himself staring at a white-haired, white-bearded dwarf, who smiled as he spoke, "Balin, at your service," Before bowing as Dwalin had.

"Good evening."

"Yes. Yes it is." as he stepped forward, he went on, "though I think it might rain later."

"Hm?"

"Am I late?"

Bilbo narrowed his eyes as he spoke, "late for what?"

"Oh, ha ha!" The dwarf, Balin yelled. "Evening brother, he added in a quieter tone, strolling down the hall.

"By my beard," Dwalin began, setting down the cookie jar he had been fiddling with, "you're shorter and wider than last we met."

"Wider, not shorter," corrected Balin, "Sharp enough for both of us." Bilbo got the feeling he most likely spoke the truth. The two stared at each other for a long moment, then in a blink of an eye the whacked skulls, neither seeming the least bit dizzy.

"Uh, excuse me? Sorry, I hate to interrupt, but the thing is, I'm not entirely sure you're in the right house."

"Have you eaten?" Dwalin asked his brother a while later, pouring a mug of ale from the barrel.

"It's not that I don't like visitors," began Bilbo before Balin could reply, "I like visitors as much as the next hobbit, but I do like to know them _before _they come visiting!" Bilbo was frowning now; the dwarves were hardly listening, discussing something blue cheese.

"What is this?"

"I think it's cheese. Gone blue."

"It's riddled with mold."

"The thing is," Bilbo continued, jumping out of the way as Dwalin threw a wedge of cheese over his shoulder, "that I don't know either of you, not in the slightest. I don't mean to be blunt, but I have to speak my mind." Getting frustrated, he threw up his hands and went with his last resort, "I'm sorry."

Both dwarves stared for a moment, then Balin spoke, "Apology accepted." With that, he turned back to Dwalin, "Now, fill it up, brother, don't stint." The dwarf held up his mug of ale.

Bilbo was about to try again when the doorbell rang yet again. When he opened it again, he found not one, but _two _dwarves.

"Fili," said the blond-haired one.

"and Kili," added the dark-haired one.

"At your service!" Both bowed together, then the one called Kili spoke.

"You must be Mr. Boggins!'

Mr. Bilbo _Baggins _gritted his teeth at this mispronunciation of his name and nearly yelled, "Nope! You can't come in. You've come to the wrong house."

"What? Has it been canceled?"

"No one told us."

"No, nothing's been canceled."

"That's a relief." With that, both dwarves entered, meaning there were a total of four rather uninvited guests in Bilbo's house.

"Careful with these, I've just had them sharpened." Fili dumped a double armful of assorted swords and knives into Bilbo's arms, "It's nice, this place."

"Yeah," added Kili, "Did you do it yourself?" As he spoke, Kili scraped mud from his boots on Belladonna's glory box.

"That's my mother's glory box, could you please not do that?"

"Fili, Kili, come on, give us a hand!" Dwalin momentarily appeared from Bilbo's pantry to grab Kili's arm.

"Shove this in the hallway, otherwise we'll never get everyone in." Balin spoke, gesturing to the table.

"Everyone? How many more are there?" Even to his own ears, Bilbo sounded almost hysterical.

"No, no...there's nobody home!" Bilbo yelled as the doorbell rang _again, _dropping Fili's weapons on a chair, "Go away and bother somebody else. There's far to many dwarves in my dining room as it is! If this is some clot-head's idea of a joke, I can only say it is in very poor taste." He spoke the last word as he opened the door, and it was rather drowned out by the collective grunts of eight dwarves as they fell through the door onto Bilbo's once-clean floors. As Bilbo frowned down at the huge heap of dwarf, a familiar, pointy gray-hatted head peered through. "Gandalf."

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><p>"Those are my pri-Excuse me, not my wine. Put that back. Put that back. Not the jam please. Excuse me. Excuse me!" Bilbo yelled as dwarves filed in and out of his pantry, tracking in mud and pulling out food. "That's a tad excessive, isn't it? Have you got a cheese knife?" Bilbo asked as a slightly overweight red-bearded dwarf stomped by lugging three wheels of cheese in his arms.<p>

"Cheese knife? He eats it by the block," said another dwarf.

"No, that's grandpa Mungo's chair-no, so is that. Take it back please." Bilbo continued as two more dwarves lugged in the said chairs.

"I cannot hear what you're saying."

"It's and antique, not for sitting on. That is a book, not a coaster, and put that map down! Not my prizewinners, thank you." He continued, pulling a bowl of prize-winning tomatoes from a gray dwarf.

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><p>After a horrid song accompanied by a recorder that nearly destroyed each and every piece of his mother's West Farthing pottery, there was a loud, pounding knock at the door.<p>

"He is here." Gandalf spoke, taking a puff from his pipe.

"Gandalf. I thought you said this place would be easy to find. I lost my way, twice." The newest arrival spoke. he was a tall, dark-haired dwarf, "I wouldn't have found it at all if it hadn't been for that mark on the door."

Bilbo frowned. "Mark? There is no mark on that door; it was painted a week ago."

"There is a mark, I put it there myself." Gandalf spoke again, stooping so as not to hit his head in the rafters, "Bilbo Baggins, allow me to introduce the leader of our company: Thorin Oakenshield."

"So...this is the hobbit." Thorin spoke, looking Bilbo in the eye. As he moved farther into the room, he added, "Tell me, Mr. Baggins, have you done much fighting?"

"Pardon me?"

"Axe or sword? What's your weapon of choice?"

"Well, I do have some skill at Conkers, if you must know, but I fail to see why that's relevant."

"Thought as much. He looks more like a grocer than a burglar."

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><p>"What news from the meeting in Ered Luin? Did they all come?"<p>

"Aye, envoys from all seven kingdoms."

"All of them!"

"What do the dwarves of the Iron Hills say? Is Dain with us?"

Thorin froze for a moment then sighed, "They will not come. They say this quest is ours and ours alone."

"If I may Thorin, I have a solution." Gandalf spoke, his voice nearly drowning out the angry murmurs of the rest of the dwarves.

"Unless your proposition means an army from the Iron Hills, I fail to see why I should be interested." Thorin set down his tea cup and stared icily at the wizard.

"May I be permitted to share it?" Thorin stared for several moments more before finally nodding his head in allowance. Gandalf turned to Bilbo then and asked, "Bilbo my dear fellow, would you be willing to permit just two more guests into your home?" Almost without waiting for an answer, Gandalf stood up from the table and rapped briskly thrice on the door, then opened it.

Standing on the other side were two tall, hooded figures. From his position behind considerably taller wizard, Bilbo had a clear view as both pulled down their hoods. Beside him, he felt Thorin stiffen, as two heads of long hair were exposed. The mysterious figure on the left had long, pure black hair in warrior braids, with sharp blue eyes. She looked nervous, pressed against the door jam. The second was taller, with long, dark brown hair over her shoulder, braided with ivy. She had sharp, silver-green eyes, and, unlike her comrade, looked perfectly at ease. The thing that seemed to stand out most however were their ears. They were pointed!

"Elves," Thorin snarled through his teeth. He glared icily at the two she elves, and the silver-green eyed she-elf stared back unblinking...

End of Chapter Nine

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><p><strong>(A.N: oh, cliffeee...not...so anyway, what did you guys think? Also, sorry I didn't get the feud, the duel, or the unlikely friendship in this chapter...oopsies...anyway, I just wanted to tell you guys that you guys can expect another chapter tomorrow, because, after only one day of school, we got a...SNOW DAY! Well, actually, it's because wind chills tomorrow are expected to be -35 degrees...yay! Yeah...I like cold...anyways, Bye!<strong>

**Next Chapter**

**~That duel...probably not as much of a feud...~**

**~The beginning of that unlikely friendship...please tell me who you think it's between~**

**~A whole bunch of other stuff, probably sticking more to the movie~**

**Sounds cool? Great, bye-bye! Also, you may have also noticed this chapter largely sticks with the movie...that would be because it's semi-necessary info...see ya next time!**


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